October days…

  Above Uppark House and the South meadow at sunrise (photo credit: Kirsty Brown)

Above Beautiful displays from the cut flower team greeted visitors during the first weekend of October.

 Above South meadow at sunrise with a view of the South Downs beyond (photo credit: Kirsty Brown)

Above Dahlia ‘Arabian Night’

Above Lovely combinations of Dahlia ‘Arabian Night’, D. ‘Purple Gem’ Anemone hupehensis japonica, Verbena bonariensis and deep red foliage of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’

Above Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) berries providing wonderful colour on the edge of the South meadow near the dairy bank. 

Above Abelia x grandiflora gives great interest late into the season at the entrance to the scented garden. 

Summer is here….

Summer afternoon…..the two most beautiful words in the English language.

Henry James  

Above: Sweet pea ‘Cupani’ flowering in the scented garden last year.

I retain a very clear memory of writing the July 2014 Uppark garden blog in June last year. I sat outside in the garden under a sunshade and once the first draft was done we went to the beach for an early evening swim. This year, summer has arrived a little later, but it is here at last. My blog last July focused on two favourite areas of the garden, I tried to imagine what ingredients made up the perfect outing for a summers’ day and, as with previous pieces, adopted a descriptive, ruminative approach. Following my first attempt to produce a vaguely instructional “Learn with David” piece in May. I’m still determined to develop my horticultural knowledge and write something both useful and entertaining into the bargain. I can’t guarantee, actually, that I can still remember the finer points of all the plants covered in “Belonging To May” but having just checked, yes, I think some of it has stuck. So, with that positive in my back pocket, here’s a small selection of the plants it’ll be worth looking out for in the garden at Uppark during July.

Achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’

This is a species native to central and south west Asia that has become naturalised in parts of Europe and North America. Also popularly known as yarrow, or “fern-leaf” yarrow (given the fern-like nature of its leaves) Achillea filipendulina enjoys a sunny position in moist but well-drained soil and grows large flattened heads of bright, “old gold” yellow flowers whose robust nature makes them popular within the flower arranging fraternity. I was surprised to discover that Achillea is part of the sunflower family but thinking about it, similarities exist between their hard flat textures and bright yellow colouring. In addition, and here’s the clincher for an amateur, both share the scientific family name of Asteraceae (I looked it up so now we know!). Achillea can be found throughout the garden but most notably in the island beds and the dairy bank and restoration borders.

Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’ 

Variously known commonly as Rosa mundi and French Rose, this is a very old rose and one of the earliest cultivated species; the Greeks and Romans were known to have valued and cultivated Rosa gallica and it was also a feature of mediaeval gardens. On further investigation, this enticing mediaeval link was reinforced when I learnt that Rosa gallica also goes by the name of “Rose of Provins”, a name allegedly coined in praise of “Fair Rosamund”, a mistress of the Angevin King of England Henry II (yes, he of Thomas a Becket and Murder in the Cathedral fame). Bearing pink and white splashes on a crimson background, we have a small young Rosa gallica in the restoration border, and specimens can also be found in the tea garden and in one of the island beds. Leaving aside the “Clemaytis”/“Clemmitis” pronunciation debate, we have three types of Clematis for you to look out for in July (actually, though, what is the correct pronunciation and whilst we’re on the subject, on which side of the fence do you sit regarding the “scoan”/”sconn” argument? Answers on a postcard please, as we used to say, or via email and/or your social media vehicle of choice. Thanks and that’ll settle that!).

Clematis viticella ‘Alba Luxurians‘

This Clematis originally hails from central southern Europe and west Asia and can be found on Upparks’ long dairy bank border. Clematis viticella has an extended flowering season, its green tipped white and mauve fringed flowers bloom from mid summer to late autumn. It adds long-lived interest to this most romantic (or scandalous) part of the garden. Clematis viticella is an extremely tough and hardy plant and this makes it perfectly suited for survival in the dairy banks’ full summer sun, the bracing wind and rain that whips across the west lawn in winter and some heavy South Downs frosts also.

Clematis viticella ‘Madame Julia Correvon‘

A more compact version of Alba Luxurians showing rich red flowers with pale pink undersides, which, like its cousin, bloom throughout the summer into early autumn. Although Correvon refers to the prominent nursery family, the plant was introduced to France in 1900 by Francisque Morel only to disappear from the trade during the perilous decade of the First World War. Clematis viticella ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ made a re-appearance some years later and, somewhat precariously, I gather that it was restored to the English market from a single Hidcote Manor specimen. Francisque Morel was also responsible for the introduction of our third highlighted July Clematis, Clematis viticella ‘Etoile Violette’.

C.‘Violet Star’ in English and also known as Italian Clematis or “Italian leather-flower” this heirloom cultivar is an earlier, 1885, Morel development and presents deep purple sepals around a cream stamens. This Clematis viticella ‘Etoile Violette’ can be found on the dairy bank border.

Known commonly as Rock Rose, Helianthemum ‘Henfield Brilliant’ (below) displays grey green leaves and single bright orange flowers from the mid-summer. Perfect for long hot summers (we wish!) given its ability to thrive in poor soil and direct sunlight, even the Greek derivation of Helianthemum reminds us that this is a proper July plant – helios (sun) and anthemon (flower). Perfect, I never knew there was such simple poetry in plant nomenclature!

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Spessart’ (below) 

Like so many other Geranium species, this one performs such a useful role in providing quick and colourful ground cover for shady areas that it’s easy to take its elegant beauty for granted. ‘Spessart’ produces white flowers flushed with pink in summer whilst continuing to display into the autumn when its leaves turn a rich bronze and red. An aromatic herbaceous perennial native to eastern North America and named after the Sevillian Nicolas Monardes, who described American flora as long ago as 1569, Monarda didyma ‘Cambridge Scarlet’ (below) bears rich scarlet flowers from mid-summer to early autumn. Whilst Native Americans used the plant for medicinal purposes and its fragrant leaves are sometimes used for potpourri (apparently they’re edible too), the perfumed flowers of Monarda didyma are also attractive to butterflies, bees and (in the right part of the world) to Hummingbirds too.

Finally, Philadelphus coronarius ‘Variegatus’ or ‘Mock Orange’ (below) to the uninitiated, is a native of southern Europe and I was intrigued by the idea that the coronarius element of this deciduous shrubs’ name relates its use in garland making (this makes sense; think “crown”/”coronarius”). Also known as Bowles Variety, this common nomenclature is in memory of E.A.Bowles, a significant self taught British horticulturalist who developed the important garden at Myddelton House in Enfield, Middlesex, during the first half of the C20th.

There’s a lot to take in here and if I can remember half of it to infiltrate into one of the Thursday garden tours (2pm at the garden entrance – free event, normal admission charges apply) I’ll be doing well. Come up and test me on it and don’t forget to let us know your preferred pronunciation of Clematis (and scone!) too.

Midsummer Meadow…

  Viewpoints and vistas

Over recent years much of our work in the garden and surrounding countryside has been to make the best of one of of our key features; the wonderful views of the South Downs National Park and out to sea to the Solent. On a clear day, the sun sparkles and glistens off the sea and it’s possible to pick out passing ships and tankers, the Spinnaker tower and the Isle of Wight beyond. We’ve created viewpoints and vistas from various parts of the garden and woodland. From the log bench along the woodland walk, we’ve punched a hole through the broadleaf canopy to let more sunshine in and provide a window through to the Ditcham valley. In other areas of the garden we’ve highlighted architectural features with careful ‘editing’ of the shrubs and trees.

Birds, bluebells and butterflies.

  

Above: Bluebells in the woodland (Photo credit Andy Lewis) 

As a result of this pruning and thinning work, we’ve noticed more bluebells and butterflies enjoying this sunlit space this year. One of the visitor reception team remarked this year that she could hear more birdsong following the woodland thinning work during the winter.

Tasty views

We’ve relaxed our rules on picnics in the garden, all we ask is that you to take your litter home with you. An additional, enclosed picnic area has been created near the café with lovely views across the South meadow. So why not top up your picnic with a cuppa, a cake or an ice cream? Or you can just throw a rug on the South meadow, enjoy a relaxing read or snooze and let the children run around on the nearby toy box lawn.

Hope to see you soon….

Uppark House and Garden is open 7 days a week from 10am – 5pm. Thank you to Sarah Sheldrake for these wonderful images of the South meadow.

If you’d like to bring your dog, there’s a short route around the woodland walk (steep in sections) and your four-legged friend will need to be on a short lead. For more exercise for you and your dog/dogs, nearby Harting Down is superb.

Den building? Den heaven…

Thanks to everyone who joined in the den building fun last weekend. I missed it but Richard Gibbons didn’t! Wonderful photos Richard…

Belonging to May

A fish flourishes in familiar waters…but can learn to go with a new flow

Garden volunteers Joy (left) and David (right)

I inveigled my way into the book industry during the summer between my second and third years at university, I re-joined it on graduation and have remained there for the last thirty-one years (yes, don’t worry, this calculation gave me a nasty shock too!). The point is that whilst the language and short-hand of the book trade have become second nature to me, I’m having to work on my understanding of the finer details of National Trust diction generally and the language of the horticultural world in particular. Although we may always hope to remain functional in new and distinctive worlds and probably possess, albeit unwittingly sometimes, many skills that will transfer quite nicely between different working milieu, the thought process is subtly different, things take longer and serious plant nomenclature remains somewhat of a mystery to me. It’s a bit like having to do everything with my less natural left hand, or making the shift from Windows to Mac, manipulating downloads rather than physical CDs or driving on the continent; it’s fascinating and thought provoking on the one hand but challenging and slightly confusing on the other.

The upshot of all this is that although I’ve now been working very happily in the garden at Uppark for eighteen months, managed to contribute to Andy’s blog and Twitter activity and lead many very lively groups of visitors around the garden, we’ve decided that “you see those yellow and blue flowers over there” or “oh, you know, the green tree by the island bed” and “Mmm, is that really a weed?” isn’t cutting the mustard, actually, and I need to take life more seriously. I’m exaggerating (of course) but we thought embarking on an occasional “Learn With David” series might help improve my detailed plant knowledge and help some of our more general garden enthusiasts into the bargain.

“The darling buds of May…”

Andy gave me the names of half a dozen plants that will generate interest in May and which he thought it would be useful for me to research (thankfully, he also told me where to find them!). I recently spent part of a very pleasant Saturday afternoon in the garden doing some follow up and although this is by no means an exhaustive list, the selection mirrors the contents of our May newsletter and I hope it will provide a handy kicking off point for further garden exploration: Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ Also known as Persian onion (the plant is, after all, a native of Iran) you’ll find this mixed with Lavandula ‘Hidcote’ in the Portico bed in front of the main entrance to the house. Producing small rosy-purple flowers (and a strong onion or garlic scent) this location should be perfect for A. hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ as it will enjoy the full sun this spot affords but will also benefit from the shelter the lee of the house provides. Convallaria majalis rosea This rosea variant of this fast-growing, partial or full shade loving and fully hardy plant can be found under the yew tree in the scented garden next to Rosa ‘Madame Hardy’. Producing pale pink flowers and commonly known as lily of the valley, I was absolutely delighted to discover the literal translation of majalis is “belonging to May”with its incipient promise of a “return to happiness ”. Wonderful…. Davidia involucrata The head gardener at Stourhead, Alan Power, highlights the handkerchief tree as one of his favourites. You’ll find Upparks’ just north of the golden gate entrance where it benefits from its relatively sheltered but sunny location. Davidia involucrata is native to South Central and Southern China and is named for Father Armand David, a French missionary and keen naturalist who lived in China. He first described the tree in 1869 and subsequently sent back specimens to Paris. Also known as the dove tree (its “bract” flutter dove-like in the breeze) and, spookily, the ghost tree, “involucrate” identifies a tree “with a ring of bracts surrounding several flowers”. The handker chief tree provides the bonus of autumn colour when its leaves turn an amazing russet and red. Asphodelus albus Upparks’ white-flowered asphodel can be found in our island beds where they enjoy full sun and the well-drained soil associated with our hilltop location. Native to temperate Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East, I got hooked on the uses and folklore of this amazing plant whilst doing my research. Whilst asphodel is associated with death and the underworld in Greek mythology it had a more light-hearted use by women in Elizabethan Lancashire as yellow hair dye (honestly!). We love our Italian travels and given Asphodelus albus Mediterranean home, it makes sense that its leaves are used to wrap Italian burrata cheese (apparently, both have a three to four day lifespan so if you’re ever offered burrata in dried out asphodel leaves, it’s passed its best) and that Sardinian honey made by bees that have supped on asphodel is prized for its delicate flavour. Finally (sorry I couldn’t resist this) and somewhat fantastically, the powdered root of asphodel gets a mention in the Harry Potter novels as an ingredient in a sleeping potion called “draught of living death”. This is, at least, consistent with the plants’ associations in Greek mythology (if nothing else!). Rhinanthus minor Known commonly as yellow rattle, I found this in the South West corner of the South meadow (mixed, interestingly, with both purple and white snake’s head fritillary  (Fritillaria meleagris). The full sun and high dry location of Upparks’ South meadow is good for this hemi (i.e. partial) parasite whose roots are never happier than when wrapped around those of its’ surrounding neighbours. In this sense, Rhinanthus minor is a useful ally in the creation of wild flower meadows since it can be used to reduce the vigour of meadow grasses (the plant is heartily disliked by farmers for the same reason). Mature plants produce a fruit of dry capsules containing seeds which rattle when shaken. My expectation is that we shall now lay off cutting the grass in the meadow until late July to allow flowering and subsequent going to seed. Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ In common with the idea of majalis “belonging to May”, the translation of Mainacht into “May Night” is a strikingly beautiful one. Salvia is one of several genera known commonly as Sage and is part of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Salvia comes from the Latin Salvere (to feel well and healthy) and I was interested to discover how this chimes with the ancient link between herbs and well being. Mainacht produces deep, dark violet-blue flowers which will provide great interest in May and you’ll find these perennials in the North drive side of the border skirting the yew hedge in front of the scented garden.

Beware amateur gardeners bearing newfound plant knowledge:

This initial and minimal level of research into a tiny fraction of the plants on display in the garden at Uppark has begun to open my eyes to the fascination of plant lore and nomenclature. A word of warning though…..if you’re in the garden at Uppark on a Thursday and you see a bald gardener in shorts and wellies coming towards you with an ancient mariner glint in his eye and a look of sure intent to share his recently acquired knowledge with you, turn quietly around and walk in the opposite direction or you may get stuck for quite a while!

Main photo: Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) taken by Stephen Allum during “Cameras at Dawn” photography event held at Uppark last year.

Places are still available for the Dawn chorus walk with Matt Phelps (birding gardener from Winkworth Arboretum)  11 May 6-8am £15, call 01730 825415 / email uppark@nationaltrust.org.uk to book.

Uppark garden in April.

The Crown Imperial Lily (Fritilaria imperialis lutea)

Fritilaria imperialis lutea is a very good garden plant with up to 6 bell-shaped flowers hanging from a top knot of leaves that tip the stem. These plants always draw plenty of comment from visitors to the garden. These bulbous plants have clear yellow flowers about 5cm long with a faint green veining inside with lush broad leaves held upright on a paler stem. The ‘Crown Imperial Lily’ has been grown in cultivation in Europe since the 16th century when it was introduced from Turkey. It grows naturally from Turkey to Pakistan on cliffs, rocky slopes and among scrub. Pollinating insects including bees are attracted to them. The bulb and young leaves have a strong foxy smell. We have clumps of these planted  in the island beds in the main part of the garden.

Planting Instructions

Fritillaria imperialis lutea bulbs should be planted 20cm deep in rich soil, which has had fertiliser added. As they grow so fast and need to rapidly replenish that effort, they would benefit from an annual liquid feed of potash rich fertiliser (low in nitrogen) when in growth, a proprietary brand for tomato plants would be suitable. The bulbs should not be disturbed unless they flower poorly, when they should again be replanted 8″ deep. They need a dry position in the summer.

Plant Details

Flowers April, height 90cm

Loddon Lily (Leucojum aestivum)

Leucojum aestivum is also known as the ‘Loddon Lily’, it has clusters of large white bells, emerald-tipped, hanging from bare stems above the glossy green daffodil-like foliage.  It will form clumps and we have these planted in the tea garden.

Planting Instructions

Leucojum aestivum bulbs should be planted 12cm deep in heavier, moisture retentive soil, about 15cm apart in sun or some shade. It is happy in very damp even winter flooded areas.

Plant Details

Flowers April/May, height 45cm

Narcissus canaliculatus (species daffodil bulbs)

Perfect for growing containers or at the front of the border, this dwarf variety produces clusters of beautiful white and yellow flowers in early spring. It can tolerate most soils that are well-drained but moist during the growing season. Plant bulbs at one and half times their own depth in sun or partial shade. We have these planted along the left hand side grass bank as you approach the drive from the garden entrance.

Saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana)

Magnolia can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with large, showy, often fragrant flowers, often opening before the leaves, and sometimes followed by colourful cone-like fruit.

Plant details

M. x soulangeana is a spreading deciduous tree or large shrub to 6m tall, with obovate leaves to 20cm long, and white, pink or purple, goblet-shaped flowers up to 25cm across in spring. Magnolia × soulangeana is a hybrid plant in the genus Magnolia and family Magnoliaceae. It is a deciduous tree with large, early-blooming flowers in various shades of white, pink, and purple. It is one of the most commonly used magnolias in horticulture, being widely planted in the British Isles, especially in the south of England. The magnolia shown below can be found in the main area of the garden and is a stunning sight on a sunny day against a bright blue sky.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

The delicately scented flowers of Primula vulgaris are 2–4 cm in diameter. They’ve colonised the mossy banks as you approach the garden entrance at Uppark and can also be found in the woodland. P. vulgaris is a perennial growing 10–30 cm tall, with a basal rosette of leaves that are 5–25 cm long and 2–6 cm broad, often heavily wrinkled, with an irregularly crenate to dentate margin, and a short leaf stem, borne singly on short slender stems. The flowers are typically pale yellow, though white or pink forms are often seen in nature.

Below P.vulgaris on display (front) in the house for last year’s Mothering Sunday display.

Siberian squill (Scilla siberica)

Scilla are perennial bulbs with narrow basal leaves and erect stems bearing racemes of star-shaped, flat or bell-shaped flowers which are often blue. S. siberica is a bulbous perennial to 20cm in height, with narrow strap-shaped leaves and purplish stems bearing short racemes with 2-5 nodding, bowl-shaped bright blue flowers 1.5cm in width. Above pale blue Scilla sibirica (background) used in the Mothering Sunday display in the house, last year.

Cultivation Plant bulbs 8-10cm deep in late summer or early autumn in a moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

Propagation Propagate by seed or divide offsets when dormant

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds, garden edging, under-planting of roses and shrubs, city & courtyard gardens, cottage & informal garden, gravel garden patio & container plants, rock garden.

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum)

Allium ursinum known as ramsons or wild garlic is a wild relative of chives native to Europe and Asia. Allium ursinum grows in deciduous woodlands with moist soils, preferring slightly acidic conditions. It flowers before deciduous trees leaf in the spring, filling the air with their characteristic garlic-like scent. The flower stem is triangular in cross-section and the leaves are broadly lanceolate similar to those of the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis). Unlike the related Allium vineale (crow garlic) and Allium oleraceum (field garlic), the umbel contains no bulbils, only flowers. In the British Isles, colonies are frequently associated with bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), especially in ancient woodland. It is considered to be an Ancient Woodland Indicator (AWI) species. We have a small pocket of wild garlic at the entrance to the garden and we’ll be planting drifts along the woodland margins at Uppark ‘in the green’ (in leaf) this spring. The lanes in the surrounding villages are lined with the sight and smell of wild garlic. The leaves of A. ursinum are edible; they can be used as salad, herb, boiled as a vegetable, in soup, or as an ingredient for pesto in lieu of basil.

Perennial Honesty (Lunaria rediviva) 

L. rediviva is an upright, clump-forming, branching perennial with triangular to heart-shaped, finely-toothed, mid- to dark green leaves and, in late spring and early summer, loose racemes of fragrant, lilac-white flowers followed by flat, beige seed pods. We have block of these perennials planted in the tea garden and island beds at Uppark.

Snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

Fritillaria are bulbous herbaceous perennials with lance-shaped or linear leaves and nodding bell-shaped or bowl-shaped flowers that may be solitary or in racemes or umbels.

Details F. meleagris is a bulbous perennial to 30cm in height, with lance-shaped, greyish-green leaves and 1-2 nodding, bell-shaped purple flowers, the tepals tessellated with pale pink in a checkerboard fashion.

From mid-late April, you can see these flowering in small drifts in the South meadow.

Photo credits: National Trust, Simon Bowler, Andy Lewis, Maria Mercer and Alan Brown.

A New Season at Uppark.

I know it’s still only February, I know further snaps of frost and scatterings of snow are still almost inevitable, I know that wintry windblown rain will remain penetratingly chilly, I know that cold earth-numbed fingers are going to require some form of warming resuscitation at break times, I know all this, I know it but…..Uppark House and Garden reopens on Saturday 7 March and this, surely, even if subconsciously, is a sign of hope, a sign that spring is now only just around the corner.

Good news, exciting news made even more welcome by the knowledge that from this season onwards, and in line with many other National Trust places, Uppark will be open seven days a week, 363 days a year. Our visitors will have now have so much more flexibility when in the Uppark area: if you’re down for the week-end and arrive, say, at Friday lunchtime, you can nip in that afternoon then decide whether to come back on Saturday or Sunday depending on the weather forecast or your plans for visiting other National Trust places in the area.

363 opening also means that we’ll need more volunteers…

Alan and Sam from the garden team getting stuck into some planting in 2013 This new season will be my second spring and summer in the garden at Uppark and, knowing what I know about my experience from last year, it follows that I’m looking forward to the gardens reopening with happy anticipation; I’ve missed so many aspects of my Thursdays at Uppark over the closed season.

It’s been a long winter.

What are we all looking forward to? Warmth on our backs – the thought of going from multi layered complexity to the simplicity of t-shirt and, potentially, shorts is such a welcome one. Whilst it’s true that the act of wrapping up against the elements creates its own sense of adventure, won’t it be lovely for everyone – visitors, staff and volunteers – to stop worrying about what constitutes a comfortable yet practical number of layers? In addition and depending on my mood, I’ll admit to a tendency to view the garden at Uppark either through ever so slightly, or very heavily, rose-tinted glasses. Given that this view, quite naturally, encompasses the Dairy and its long straight Dairy Bank, who would argue against the thought of spring and summer warmth reigniting the romance of the garden? It’s so much easier to imagine Mary Ann’s seductive song drifting from the dairy towards Sir Harry on a warm summer breeze than it is to picture the same scene played out against the backdrop of a freezing gale blowing up from the English Channel.

Light in our eyes – we’ve seen and photographed some incredible sunrises and sunsets at Uppark over the autumn and winter but the light goes so quickly, there’s scarcely time to linger before it’s gone and I long, as I’m sure we all do, for the return of bright early mornings to kick the day off and a languorous stretch of evening sunshine to bring the day to a close. Our visitors, their offspring, the Orangery Cafe lawn – Uppark isn’t the same place without our visitors, our raison d’etre, the people who bring the garden alive, break up the day with questions, comments and opinions about the house and garden, people with whom we can share our enthusiasm and growing understanding of what the garden at Uppark is all about. I’ve also missed the delighted screams of the children as they roll down the mounds in front of the Coade Urn and Gothick Seat and I’m looking forward to seeing (and hearing!) them again. Their appreciation of the garden is very different from their parents and grandparents; the lure of the south meadow and east lawn is irresistible, a clear broad stretch of grass in which to burn off some excess energy, play cricket or rounders or throw some cartwheels. When that’s all done, find a tree, roll out a rug, have something to eat, fall asleep. It’ll also be great to see the lawn in front of the Orangery Café back in action; it’s wonderful to be able to chat with our visitors as they relax over their morning elevenses, lunch or afternoon tea and I’m sure the view can’t be beaten (in fact, I know it can’t).

A tour around the garden – We’ll be running our regular Thursday garden tours again this season and leading some of these last year was a real highlight for me. So much has happened over the winter, so much has changed and since Andy’s vision for the garden continues to evolve I shall be re-writing my patter to take all of these things into account. My memory for plant names hasn’t improved a great deal but I’m looking forward to doing some swatting up (or re-writing my crib sheet anyway!) and since this is my second spring and summer in the garden, my understanding has deepened and my love of dubiously embellished story telling remains undiminished. Growth and renewal  – We’ve been sweeping leaves, clearing dead or chain-sawed wood and winter pruning shrubs, vines and clematis during the closed season; we’ve been keeping the beds and borders as weed free as possible in preparation for mulching, we’ve busily cut back and removed last season’s dead growth throughout the garden and have, now, embarked on our annual weed controlling mulchfest (trailer loads of it and many, many wheel-barrow heaps of it too) but none of this important preparatory work is a substitute for the riot of colour and growth we’re about to witness this spring and summer at Uppark.

Two final thoughts:

Who does not look forward with anticipation to the return of the house martins’ fighter pilot swoop and swirl over the west, former croquet, lawn? There’s nothing more evocative of a new season at Uppark than the smell of freshly cut grass and the machine sheds’ mixed warm scent of grass and engine oil. Lovely. It’ll all happen, we just need to look forward and remain patient.

What is it about Uppark? One year on – A garden volunteers developing perspective.

I wrote my first piece for the Uppark Garden blog a year ago and have now been part of the garden volunteer team at Uppark for almost fifteen months.

David Edyvean with Joy, also from the garden team.

A space emerges…this will be filled by a reconditioned and re-purposed glasshouse donated by the Ranger team at Petworth

So, having survived the cold and wet of last winter, worked my way through the lengthening mulch filled days of spring, basked in the heat of summer (shorts and wellies – it’s a very cool look and absolutely the latest in Uppark garden volunteer chic!), marvelled at the beauty of Uppark’s autumnal display and the slow transformation from summer glory towards the sparkle of winter solstice ice and the heart warming glow of Christmas, I thought it would be fun to see how the reality of life as a member of a National Trust volunteer garden team has aligned with expectation.

My glass is habitually half full, I lead a lucky life after-all, and I have a natural tendency towards the optimistic. Living in the belief that, more often than not, reality should exceed expectation is almost certainly going to lead to a life of many disappointments but where volunteering in the garden at Uppark is concerned, I know that experience has already out-stripped expectation by some margin.

Field scabious in the meadow in July

Five themes run through my mind:

       1. The natural world. I had hoped that volunteering for the National Trust would enable me to re-connect “with the natural world and to the earth beneath my feet, to sunshine, wind and rain and to the beauty of my immediate surroundings…” A year of work in the garden, throughout all the seasons and in all weathers, has brought me consistently closer to the change from winter to spring than I have ever been before; I observed summer bloom out of spring, watched the garden burst into life during the heady days of May, June and July; I felt the lawns, shrubs, trees and flowers guzzle the rains of August before witnessing the slow turn from green to gold to brown and final skeletal silence as September rolled into October and November dissolved into December. Week after week after week, I watched the landscape surrounding Uppark alter and develop depending on the weather and the season; Uppark’s famed view does not stand still but changes by the hour, by the minute almost.

A young and inspired visitor visits Uppark House and Garden

        2. People. The professional garden team at Uppark are welcoming, friendly, supportive and extra-ordinarily knowledgeable. This is mirrored in the outlook and attitudes of my volunteer colleagues who I am now happy to count amongst my friends. Furthermore, it’s the visitors themselves who add so much to the gardens and help to bring them alive. They have been curious, surprised, impressed and friendly; some love to talk and share their experiences, some like just to stroll, sit, stare and absorb the ambience; once engaged our visitors have really appreciated Andy’s vision for the garden and our attempts to bring this to fruition.

Alan from the garden team during the volunteers summer party

       3. Balance. A new Chichester based (paid) job in the industry I love (the wonderful world of books!) came my way in February last year. Thursdays at Uppark had already become such a big part of my way of life, such an important element of my sense of self even, that I determined I would try to negotiate a four day week to protect and accommodate my commitment. Thankfully, I have an enlightened employer who trusts me to organise my own work load and keep a sharp eye on looming deadlines. He has saved himself 20% of my salary, I have gained an enviable work/life balance which I cherish and of which I am most protective.

A fallen beech leaf rests on a beautifully coloured yew log after a rain shower

       4. Opportunity. I was exposed to an amazing range of slightly surprising garden volunteer activities within my first two months at Uppark. I’ve now learned that (almost) anything goes and that expecting the unexpected rather than the humdrum is the safest norm to assume. I’ve also learnt that, given our relative strengths and weaknesses, there’s probably a slightly different role for every slightly different member of the team and that no level of specialist gardening knowledge is presumed (my memory for Latin nomenclature is painfully deficient!).  It’s been great to contribute to the Uppark Garden blog and twitter feeds (try @UpparkHG, @TheSouthDownsNT and @Dedyvean); I made paper boats with the children on Father’s Day (who saw that coming?) and Andy’s encouragement to start leading some Thursday afternoon Garden Tours has been revelatory. I’m in sales, I love an audience and the sound of my own voice; what better way could there be of combining my enthusiasm for the beauty and ethos of Uppark and what we’re trying to achieve here with a love of communication and the chance to engage with our visitors in a very direct manner whilst sporting shorts and wellies? Brilliant, it’s been absolutely brilliant.

             5. Community. Volunteering has introduced me to a new engagement with local and national communities; Uppark House and Garden and the wider National Trust family are the most obvious but the South Downs National Park Authority, National Trust South Downs and the sense of community within South Harting and Petersfield have all come into sharper focus over the past year and the Twitter communities focussing on the Ashford Hangers, Harting Down and various National Trust properties are all extremely active and lovely groups with which to be engaged.

Alan from the garden team, preparing the area for the new(-ish) glasshouse.

Cake is the unofficial sixth theme on my mind….. Tea and cake (and bananas and Joy’s pumpkin pie too, come to think of it). Never under estimate the importance of these vital culinary resources in the life of an Uppark Garden Volunteer. It’s said that an army marches on its stomach; if that’s true, then I sense this may well also be applied to a large proportion of the National Trust volunteer community. Finally, Tim Parker, the recently installed successor to Simon Jenkins as Chairman of the National Trust has identified Uppark as his favourite National Trust place…..surely, there can be no better recommendation to come and join us than that?A fine example of baking from Gardener Jenny and paper boats for Father’s Day

Get outside and closer to nature…

As we approach the New Year and thoughts of New Year’s resolutions – could yours be “Get outside and closer to nature?” This tale might just inspire you to do so…

He was a real country man, and taught son Bertie lots about nature, how to catch fish, walks by the river… a quiet and gentle man. his wife was the worrier.

Author Tessa Boase on Joseph Wells, talking about his relationship with his son Bertie also known as H.G. Wells who spent some of his childhood at Uppark. Joseph’s wife and Bertie’s mother, Sarah Wells served as housekeeper at Uppark for twelve years from 1880.

From Tessa Boase’s book a housekeeper’s tale:

Joe’s years on his own had not been spent entirely unhappily. At Atlas House ‘My father camped, so to speak, amidst its disorder very comfortably,’ wrote HG Wells. ‘He cooked very well, far better than my mother had ever done.’ On moving close to Uppark he gave up all pretence at work and was kept by his wife, who he would see for the occasional afternoon tea, overnight stay in her rooms or walk in the woods. Mrs Wells felt both guilty and exasperated.

‘JW left after breakfast he sounded sadly depressed.’

‘Sent JW £1-00 being the last. What will they do when I am gone’

From Tessa’s research:

Joseph Wells was under-gardener at Uppark in 1853 and this is the year Sarah neé Neal joined the household as Fanny Bullock’s lady’s maid. With their engagement announced in 1857, they both left Uppark. Joseph found it very hard to get work elsewhere. He had a spell at Trentham Hall in Staffordshire but he was a rather feckless man, going from one thing to another. For a while he tried his hand as a market gardener, then bought an ailing chinaware shop off a cousin in Bromley, which never really took off.

More from Tessa’s book:

Joseph Wells worked as a haphazard market gardener then as a shopkeeper and china salesman, but above all he was a cricketer. He was an extraordinarily fast round-arm bowler, and he played for the West Kent Club and the County of Kent, travelling the country each summer and earning what he could, bowling on village greens under scudding clouds and blue skies. The indoors life of his wife stood in stark contrast to his own. ‘Busy preparing the children’s winter clothes,’ she would write in her diary. ‘I feel I cannot work fast enough.’ Or, ‘Char woman ill, had all my work to do myself – very tired – oh how hard I work, others have servants.’

On 26 June 1862 Joseph Wells made history when he bowled out four Sussex batsmen in successive balls. It turned him into something of a local celebrity. People visited his china shop in Bromley just to see this bowling legend in the flesh. Working in the background was Sarah Wells, long resigned to never learning French, never owning a silk dress or being waited on by a maid while genteelly entertaining relations in the front room. There was no front room: it was given over to the shop.

Cricket in the South meadow – grab a cricket set and keep the Uppark cricket tradition going.

Uppark House and Garden opens for the new season on 7 March 2015.

Thanks to Tessa Boase for her research, her book a housekeeper’s tale is widely available in bookshops or online.

Seven day opening at Uppark

From 7 March 2015 Uppark House and Garden opens its gates (and doors) for 363 days of the year, so you’ll have more opportunities to visit this special place.

So what does this mean for the garden?

It means that the circuit path network uncovered in Dr Sarah Rutherford’s research carried out in 2012, has a heightened sense of relevance. We’re looking to reinstate this path network, with the first phase including paths to the dairy and to the cafe to provide improved access for all visitors. I have been observing the great work being done by the gardening team at  Hinton Amper to improve the durability of their grassed areas. They’ve been using a product that fits together in sections, like a jig-saw and the grass is then able to grow up and within the space of a few months, disappears from view. This is something we could consider for areas that receive high ‘footfall’ (pedestrian traffic). Have a look on their facebook page for more information and images.

Above: The grass path to the dairy will be replaced by a flint/chalk sub-base topped with preferably a locally sourced top dressing that is easier for access.

Below: The original chalk sub-base is exposed by garden team member Judy in the summer of 2012.

This exciting path construction work is planned for the next few years and will really change the feel of the garden. It will be phased alongside the gradual renewal of the peripheral planting along the beautiful flint boundary wall.

Visit Uppark

Learn more about the work we’re doing by joining a free tour led by gardener Jenny Swatton on 23 November and me on 30 November at 12.00pm and 2pm – meet at the golden gates, normal admission prices apply.